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The Commonero
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 13, NO. 16
Lincoln, Nebraska, April 25, 1913
Whole Number 640
Mr. Wilson on Monopoly
Mr. Wilson's position with respect to mo
nopoly was well described in an article written
by the president and printed in the World's
Work. This article is entitled "The New Free
dom." In this article Mr. Wilson criticises Mr.
Roosevelt's monopoly plan as "a partnership be
tween big business and the government," the
effect of which on the people would depend on
the benevolence of the contracting parties,
whereas the people want justice, not philan
thropy. "Benevolence never developed a man
or nation," says Mr. Wilson. "We do not want
a benevolent government. We want a free and
just government."
In clear cut language ho declared the policy
of this democratic administration, saying: "Wo
purpose to prevent private monopoly by law."
He sums up the attitude of the administration
in this way:
"Our purpose is the restoration of freedom.
"We purpose to prevent private monopoly
by" law, to see to it that the methods by which
monopolies have been built up are legally made
impossible,
"We design that the limitations on present
enterprise shall be removed so that the next
generation of youngsters as they come along
will not have to become proteges of benevolent
trusts, but will be free to go about making
their own lives what they will; so that we shall
taste again the full cup, not of charity, but of
liberty the only wine that ever refreshed and
renewed the spirit of a people."
There is no misunderstanding of the presi
dent's purpose. It is to so administer the trust
committed to his care that this shall be a gov
ernment of, by and for the people. So far as
monopoly is concerned, the president's position
is summed up in the declaration of the demo
cratic national platform, that "private monopoly
is indefensible and intolerable."
A BIT OF PRIMER
Mr. Samuel L. Youtree, a St Louis high pro
tectionist, wrote to the editor of the St. Louis
Republic, as follows: I will thank the .Republic
to analyze the following proposition from a free
trade standpoint, viz: We have in St. Louis a
number of department stores that pay license
and taxes to city and state. Suppose that in the
interest of the consumer the city and state in
vite a' new store to open business here with a
guarantee that no license or taxes will be im
posed. It appears to me that these results
would follow, viz: The new store could under
sell and compel the old ones to give up business;
their employes would be thrown out of work,
the city and state would lose the license and
taxes which the public would be compelled to
make up; the real beneficiary would be the new
store. It looks to me that free trade would. in
like manner make the foreigner the sole bene
ficiary. In reply the editor treated Mr. Youtree to
this bit of primer: The cases are not parallel.
Here is a parallel case: Suppose we put walls
and gates around St. Louis and impose a high
tariff on all goods brought In from the outside
CONTENTS
MR. WILSON ON MONOPOLY
A LEADER OF MEN
A FINE OHIO DEMOCRAT
CALIFORNIA AND JAPAN
WILSON FOLLOWS PLAN BEGUN
BY WASHINGTON
DR. FRIEDMANN'S TESTS
ONE MAN'S FAILURE
MR. BRYAN IN PHILADELPHIA
CURRENT TOPICS
HOME DEPARTMENT
NEWS OF THE WEEK
WASHINGTON NEWS
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THE SEVENTEENTH AMENDMENT
The amendment to tho constitution for
the popular election of United States
senators, is the seventeenth to bo
adopted. It reads:.
"The senate of tho United States shall
bo composed of two senators from each
state, elected by tho people thereof, for
six years, and each senator shall have
one vote. The. electors in each stato
shall have tho qualifications requisite for
electors of tho most numerous branches
of the stato legislatures.
"When vacancies happen in tho repre
sentation of any state in tho senate, tho
executive authority of such stato shall
issue writ of election to fill such vacan
cies, provided that tho legislature of any
state may empower tho executive thereof
to make temporary appointments until
the people fill the vacancies by election
as the legislature may direct."
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which this town can mako for Itself. Then
suppose shoes, stoves, candy, hats, etc., to bo
advanced to prices much higher inside tho wall
than our manufacturers receive from outside
customers.
BUSINESS AND TIIE TARIFF
The very fact that a tariff is opposed on tho
ground that it disturbs business, is a weighty
argument against tho protective system. When
industries rest, not upon their merits, but upon
legislative favors, they aro always In politics.
They may advise others to regard tho question
as non-political, but they never do. They aro
for tho party that favors them, and they aro
willing to purchase legislation by contributions
to the campaign fund. When tho election is
over they are in a position to onforco their de
mands by threatening a withdrawal of contri
butions. But the party now In power did not win
through contributions from special interests. It
is free to servo the people. As President Wilson
said there may be errors of Judgment, but our
motive being above just challenge the results
will certainly be for the public good. No finer
tribute was ever paid tor the high purpose of a
party than was given by tho New York World
when in referring to tho democratic tariff bill, it
said: "Against the bill as a whole tho World
believes there can be little sincere and dis
interested opposition. It Is an honest measure.
It is a reasonable measure. It is an intelligent
measure. It is a progressive measure. It is
not the product of intrigue and log-rolling. It
was bought with no corrupt contributions to a
campaign fund. It was framed by the represen
tatives of the people and not by the represen
tatives of privileged interests. It Is a bill to
promote tho welfare of the many, not the profits
of the few, and the democratic party can stand
by it in all honor and in all good faith."
' PROGRESS IN MASSACHUSETTS
Tho people of tho Thirteenth congressional
district of Massachusetts have elected to con
gress John J. Mitchell, democrat. The contest was
on the tariff. ' Only last November this district
elected Mr. Weeks, a republican, who was later
chosen for the senate. The election of Mr.
Mitchell at this time upon an iasue so clear-cut
as was the tariff issue during this special cam
paign Indicates that there is a growing element
in support of President Wilson's tariff program.
"KEEPING THE FAITH"
The St. Louis Republic says "keeping the
faith" is good politics now. It was always good
politics, only some of our public men were slow
in learning the lesson which President Wilson
has impressed so strongly upon the public mind
during the brief period he has been In office.
A Leader of Men
Tho American pooplo havo alroady discovered
that they have In the Whlto Houao a real loader
of men. President Wilson has demonstrated hig
power in a winning way. Ralph Smith, Wash
ington correspondent for tho Nashvillo Tennos
sean describes tho Wilson characteristics in the
following interesting way:
Woodrow Wilson has demonstrated his pur
pose to bo a real president. Ho has securod
tho power and responsibility, both of party and
of national leadership. Having Hotonod pationt
ly, ho has decided conclusively. Ho has smashed
two precedents to press his views homo and
gives evidence of a fixed purpose to livo with
senators and representatives until ho gets what
he wants in tariff legislation. If ho doesn't get
It, ho proposes to know precisely why and to
put himself in position to Inform tho public
and tho constituents of recalcitrants.
President Wilson's determination to bo a real
leader is evidently comparablo with that of
Colonel Roosevelt. Tho colonel, however, had
serious difilculty in handling congress. Ho got
results by pounding, most of tho time ho was
badly on tho nerves of a largo proportion of
members of congress. Had he taken tho chance
of reading a message to a joint session, as did
Wilson, he would havo boon greeted with &
storm of protests and might oven havo precipi
tated a sccno of violent opposition. Members
of congress in considerable numbers looked upon
the many Roosevelt messages as frank efforts
to scold them and thoy didn't liko to bo treated
that way.
But President Wilson hafl a winning way
about him. He hides his determination under
tho sweetest smile and tho mildest manner. HU
Rooseveltism determination Is swathed in a
moro-than-Taftlan courtesy. Senator Willlami
of Mississippi, jealous of traditions, assailed tho
president's purpose to address tho two house
in joint session when he first heard of it. A
few others may havo shared his fooling, but
when tho president mado his mild appearance
and talked about being a human being like the
rest, opposition was disarmed. When ho said
his purpose was to mako it clear that the presi
dent was not a mere executive department, ad
dressing congress from an island of jealous
authority, tho frown even of Senator Williams
softened Into a smile. The president took per
haps oven more chance in going to tho senate
wing of the capitol to confer with tho democratic
members of the finance committee on the tariff.
But he genially informed the senators that he
thus showed himself perfectly willing to go to
see them rather than to ask them to travel to
tho White House to see hlra. Ho put himself
in a modest attitude to begin with. That broke
the ice, and presently the atmosphere was so
warm that there wasn't any ice.
The president's attitudethus far certainly has
not begotten any serious opposition. Most of
the democrats, not being seriously Injured by
his tariff proposals, are quite frankly pleased to
havo a genuine party leader. Tho few sena
tors who would like to oppose features of the
tariff bill don't know what to do about it. To
them Woodrow Wilson is a new kind of president.
A FINE OniO DEMOCRAT
Governor Cox, that fine old democrat of Ohio,
has endeared himself to men and women the
world over by his hard and courageous efforts
in behalf of tho flood sufferers of his state. A
Columbus, Ohio, dispatch to the Cincinnati En
quirer shows how Governor Cox gave an over
cautious and inconsiderate banker a taste of
his own "medicine." The Enquirer dispatch
says: When stories of flood disaster were fly
ing around Governor Cox learned that the over
cautious cashier of a Columbus bank had de
manded immediate repayment of $15,000 de-
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